Best value
Audio
Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC
Anyone who wants most of the flagship experience for roughly a quarter of the money.
$79 as of 9 September 2026
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Sony WH-1000XM5 review
The noise cancelling is still the reference point every rival gets measured against. You pay for that, and for a call microphone that behaves on a windy street.
$348 as of 9 September 2026
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Research-based assessment. We have not tested this unit ourselves. This verdict is built from manufacturer specifications, published measurements, and the pattern of owner reports, scored against the same criteria we apply to every product. Read our method.
What works
- Noise cancelling leads the category, especially on low-frequency engine and air-conditioning noise
- Around 30 hours of battery with cancelling switched on
- Call quality holds up outdoors where most rivals fall apart
What to consider
- The case no longer folds flat, so it takes more bag space than the XM4 did
- Sits at a premium price that rarely discounts outside major sale events
Who this is for
Frequent flyers and open-plan offices that need the quietest cabin available.
We scored the Sony WH-1000XM5 against the same eight factors we apply to every product we cover, then wrote down what we found. The verdict above is the short version. The trade-off is in the two columns: what works, and what you give up.
Why we cover this product
Every product is scored out of 100 before we write about it, so our coverage is driven by a published method rather than by whichever commission is highest. This one scores 89 and sits in tier hero.
| Factor | Score |
|---|---|
| Demand signals (25) | 24 |
| Customer rating (15) | 14 |
| Review volume (10) | 10 |
| Price attractiveness (10) | 6 |
| Commission potential (10) | 7 |
| Search demand (15) | 14 |
| Social potential (10) | 9 |
| Problem-solving value (5) | 5 |
| Total | 89 |
Consider instead
If this one is not the right fit, this is the product we would point you to next.
Best value